Warehouse RAs 2020-2021

Resident assistants (RAs) work alongside the Heads of House to build community among the first-year residents and to aid in ensuring the smooth functioning of the building as a living environment and student space. For more information about RAs and how to join, see Join the RA Team.

Email the RAs at wh-ras@mit.edu.

President: Zahra Essack

Zahra is a PhD Candidate in Planetary Science, where her research involves the detection and characterization of exoplanets (planets outside the solar system). Zahra hails from hot and humid Durban, South Africa, where she received her undergraduate and Masters degrees in physics and applied mathematics. She enjoys cooking, travelling and swimming, and can often be found outside enjoying the four distinct seasons Cambridge has to offer.

 

 

 

 

 

Treasurer: Eunsoo Cho

Eunsoo is a PhD student in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. She is interested in magnetic materials, especially thin films. Before coming to MIT, she received a BS in Materials Science and Engineering at Seoul National University. Outside the lab, she enjoys ballet, walking, and cooking. She also likes to explore grocery stores.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lori and Steven Lerman Arts Co-Chair*: Michael Das

Michael is a PhD student in the Department of Biology and studies the role of RNA aggregation in neurological diseases. He grew up in Michigan and went to Michigan State University where he studied plant biology. When he’s not in lab, Michael enjoys hiking, playing his trombone, and watching reruns of Seinfeld.

 

 

 

 

 

 

*This RA position was created to honor the contributions and legacy of founding Warehouse Housemasters Lori and Steven Lerman who lived at the Warehouse from 2000 to 2010. One of Lori's many contributions to the Warehouse community was a music program to which she dedicated her talents and resources. Lori and Steve now live in Monterey, California, where Steve is Provost and Academic Dean at the Naval Postgraduate School.

Community Chair: Melanie Halim

Melanie is a PhD student in the department of Chemistry. She was born in Indonesia but grew up mainly in England and Hong Kong. Outside the lab Melanie enjoys drawing, yoga, baking and being surrounded by nature.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Co-Welcoming and Wellness Chair: Serin Lee

Serin is a PhD student in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, where she studies liquid phase in-situ electron microscopy. She is from South Korea, and she received her undergraduate degree from KAIST(Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology). Serin enjoys walking around the city and finding new restaurants. She is looking forward to making her own “Boston-Cambridge neighborhood restaurant guide” someday.

 

 

 

 

 

Lori and Steven Lerman Arts Co-Chair*: Soohyun Lim

Soohyun is a PhD student in the Department of Chemistry, whose research focuses on main group catalysis. She was born and grew up in South Korea, where she received her undergraduate degree from Seoul National University. She is not entirely new to the Boston area, however, as she also has a master’s degree from Harvard University and work experience at the hub of biopharmaceutical industry in Kendall Square. Outside the lab, Soohyun enjoys strolling around the city, travelling, watching soccer, and exploring craft beers. She also is a compulsive walker and truly believes that Boston provides her with an almost ideal environment for her lifestyle.

 

 

 

 

Secretary: Sarah Jo Morgan

Sarah is a second year Masters student in AeroAstro, with research focusing on maneuverable earth-observing satellites and broad interest in all things space exploration! Sarah graduated from the University of Virginia in 2019 with a BS in Aerospace Engineering. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, baking, painting, and crafts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kindness and Outreach RA: Océane Marescal

Océane is a second year PhD student in the Department of Biology. She did her undergraduate studies at McGill in Montréal and before coming to MIT spent a year doing research in Madrid. She enjoys playing the violin, going on early-morning runs, and reading in bed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sports and Building RA: Francis Reilly-Andujar

Francis is a PhD student in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, where he studies the physiology of synaptic plasticity and how experience and pharmacological manipulations may affect these processes. Francis is from San Juan, Puerto Rico and attended the University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras where he received a Bachelor of Science in Cellular and Molecular Biology. In his free time, Francis enjoys going on bike rides, playing baseball/softball (when it's not cold), playing guitar and talking about anything that is related to aviation.

 

 

 

 

 

Webmaster and Technology Officer: John Tauber

John is a PhD student in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences and the Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program in Statistics at IDSS.  He works on statistical methods for neuroscience data and does research on anesthesia. John graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in Biology in 2010. Before coming to MIT, he spent several years living and working in Florida. He also spent half a year backpacking in Chile and Argentina during this time, and still remembers some Spanish on his good days. John enjoys reading, tennis, travel, and exploring all the amazing dining options in Cambridge and surrounding areas.

 

 

 

 

 

Co-Welcoming and Wellness Chair: Rose Zhang

Rose is a third-year PhD student in Mathematics studying harmonic analysis. She grew up in Shanghai, China, and received her bachelor’s from UC Berkeley. In her free time, Rose enjoys baking, swimming, and digging through piles of used books.